Apollonia, Sifnos Island

Apollonia is the capital of Sifnos; it is a village of the inland, arranged on the even sides of three low hills. The settlement is situated almost at the center of the island, some 6 kilometers southeastern to the port of Kamares. It is the seat of the unique Municipality of the island, which includes all the villages and settlements of the island of Sifnos. The village still preserves the name of the ancient town on the place of which the actual village has been established; the ancient town had been named after Apollo, the god of the sun in Greek Mythology and its name means “the town of Apollo”. Apollonia counts some 1000 permanent residents most of them living on tourism and agriculture.

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Nowadays the town is the administrative economic and intellectual center of the island. Once there, the visitor may find everything necessary for a comfortable staying: there are travel agencies, tourist offices, a press kiosk, car rental offices, department stores, book stores, gift and souvenir stores, banks, a post and telephone office and fuel stations.

There are several alternatives for accommodation in the town and you will really enjoy nice food there. Don’t forget that Sifnos is the home place of several famous Greek chefs. Thus, tasting the local dishes is certainly a “must”. And, don’t forget the sweets, which are also gorgeous and of high quality and you will find them in the cafés and the pastry shops of the settlement.

Once in the village, it is nice to stroll about the narrow stone paved streets, stop for shopping and visit the sightseeing of it. The village has a nice Folk Museum, where you may see numerous exhibits coming from the traditional everyday life of old Sifnos: there are displayed tools, furniture and vessels. You may also visit the old schools of Aghios Artemios, the well preserved Catholicon of the small Monastery of Aghios Artemios, several churches with excellent icons of naïf – folk style and nice icon screens, as well as several busts of local heroes and other important people coming from Sifnos, who became famous not only in Greece but worldwide.

A bit higher, on the mountain of Profetes Elias (“Prophet Elijah”) it is situated the homonymous monastery, well known for a long time as an important center of hagiography. From here, you will enjoy an excellent breathtaking view of the island of Sifnos and the sea around it.

There are several monasteries in the area around, most of them ruined as the Monastery of Theologos Moungos (“the mute”) situated at a distance of 1,5 kilometers northwestern to Apollonia and the Monastery of Chrysostomos, some 4,5 kilometers northeastern to the village. In the courtyard of this latter you will see a perennial palm tree. According to the local tradition it is under this tree that in 1653 the locals declared the revolution and took the oath to free their island from the foreign domination. At a distance of 3 kilometers southwestern to the village it is found the monastery of Taxiarches tis Skafis; the monastery still preserves traces of the frescoes of the altar.

Finally, it is worth visiting the scenic cute dovecotes, scattered in the area which are really an interesting architectural feature of the place.

In summer it takes place in the village the annual pottery and visual arts exhibition called “Fyrogia”.

For any problem, two pharmacies and a police station are available in the village.

Access to Apollonia from the port of Kamares is easy by public buses running frequently, by taxi and by private means (car and motorbikes).